USTR removes S. Korea from IPR watch list despite Internet piracy

By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, April 30 (Yonhap) -- The United States Thursday removed South Korea
from its watch list of intellectual priority rights violators, but warned Korea
will be relisted if Internet piracy is not addressed properly.

It is the first time that South Korea has not appeared on the list, issued for
decades by the U.S. Trade Representative.
"Korea is being removed from the Watch List in recognition of the significant
improvements it has made during the past year, and the Korean Government's policy
direction of continuing to place a priority on improving its IPR regime," the
USTR Office said in its annual Special 301 Report, released on its Web site.
"This marks the first time in the history of the report that Korea has not
appeared on either the Watch List or the Priority Watch List," the statement
said. "USTR will, however, continue to monitor closely the ongoing problem of
Internet piracy in Korea, and will be prepared to consider returning Korea to the
Watch List in the future if it does not respond effectively to this challenge
through its implementation of newly enacted legislation and other steps."
hdh@yna.co.kr
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